KR101307964B1 - Liquid crystal display device and method of fabricating the same - Google Patents

Abstract

In the present invention, the first and second substrates disposed to face each other and having a plurality of pixel regions spaced apart from each other by a predetermined distance; A black matrix on an inner surface of the first substrate and positioned at a boundary between an outer portion of the first substrate and the pixel region, the black matrix having an open portion corresponding to the pixel region; A color filter layer formed in the pixel region using the black matrix as an inter-color boundary; A phase difference compensation layer formed at a position corresponding to the open portion on the color filter layer and formed of a curable liquid crystal material; A column spacer having a height corresponding to a cell gap between the first and second substrates at a position corresponding to the black matrix; A seal pattern formed between the first and second substrates in the outer portion; A liquid crystal display device including a liquid crystal layer interposed between the first and second substrates is provided.

Description

Liquid crystal display and its manufacturing method {LIQUID CRYSTAL DISPLAY DEVICE AND METHOD OF FABRICATING THE SAME}

1 is a schematic cross-sectional view of a transverse electric field mode liquid crystal display device according to an embodiment of the present invention.

2A, 2B and 2C are cross-sectional views sequentially illustrating a manufacturing process of a color filter substrate according to an embodiment of the present invention.

3A, 3B, and 3C are cross-sectional views illustrating a method of manufacturing a color filter substrate according to an embodiment of the present invention in a process sequence.

Description of the Related Art

330: substrate 332: black matrix

334: color filter layer 336: alignment layer

338: phase difference compensation layer P: pixel region

EA: exposure area NEA: non-exposure area

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a liquid crystal display device, and more particularly, to a liquid crystal display device including a phase difference compensation layer inside a substrate and a manufacturing method thereof.

Recently, while the need for flat panel display devices such as light weight thinning and low power consumption increases, development of liquid crystal display devices having excellent resolution, color filters, image quality, and the like has been actively performed.

In general, a liquid crystal display adopting a twist nematic LC forms electrodes on inner surfaces of two substrates disposed opposite to each other, and applies a voltage to the two electrodes through a liquid crystal layer between the two electrodes. The image is represented by the light transmittance difference by using the anisotropic characteristic of the liquid crystal molecules by the vertical field generated. However, expressing an image by such a vertical electric field has limitations in the development of viewing angle characteristics. Therefore, an in-plane switching mode liquid crystal display device using a parallel electric field is contrasted compared to the twisted nematic liquid crystal mode described above. (contrast), color shift (color shift), etc. in consideration of the viewing angle characteristics to improve the trend is attracting attention. The transverse electric field mode liquid crystal display device is characterized in that the liquid crystal is driven by a transverse electric field generated between the electrode and the pixel electrode and the common electrode on the same plane, and the viewing angle characteristics can be improved by this driving characteristic have.

However, in the transverse electric field mode liquid crystal display device, the liquid crystal driving is performed depending on the pattern structure of the pixel electrode and the common electrode for each pixel. There is a problem that light leakage occurs and the viewing angle thereof is narrowed. Therefore, a polarizing plate and a retardation film are required to compensate for the anisotropy distribution according to the viewing angle of the liquid crystal cell, wherein the retardation film has an anisotropy distribution as opposed to that of the liquid crystal cell, so that the viewing angle when used with the cell It is manufactured to eliminate the difference in light delay.

However, the retardation film according to the related art is manufactured because the optical axis of the retardation film must have an arbitrary angle with the optical axis of the polarizing plate in order to use it for optical compensation like a liquid crystal display because the optical axis is in the stretching direction or the direction perpendicular to the stretching direction. The retardation film must be specially cut. This process has disadvantages in process efficiency and foreign material management.

In order to solve the above problems, the present invention is to provide a liquid crystal display device and a manufacturing method including a phase difference compensation means capable of reducing the number of processes and effective optical compensation function.

To this end, the present invention includes a phase difference compensation layer made of a curable liquid crystal material capable of combining the function of the overcoat layer of the color filter in the color filter substrate, and thus having a curable liquid crystal material as the phase difference compensation layer is formed in the substrate. It is intended to manufacture a structure that prevents the occurrence of pressing stain or seal burst due to the hardness characteristics and adhesion to the substrate.

In addition, the present invention provides a liquid crystal display including the phase difference compensation layer and a method of manufacturing the same through a simplified process, and for this purpose, a separate mask alignment step is omitted by using a black matrix as a mask. To reduce the time required to

In order to achieve the above object, in a first aspect of the present invention, there is provided a semiconductor device comprising: first and second substrates disposed to face each other and having a plurality of pixel regions spaced at regular intervals from each other; A black matrix on an inner surface of the first substrate and positioned at a boundary between an outer portion of the first substrate and the pixel region, the black matrix having an open portion corresponding to the pixel region; A color filter layer formed in the pixel region using the black matrix as an inter-color boundary; A phase difference compensation layer formed at a position corresponding to the open portion on the color filter layer and formed of a curable liquid crystal material; A column spacer having a height corresponding to a cell gap between the first and second substrates at a position corresponding to the black matrix; A seal pattern formed between the first and second substrates in the outer portion; A liquid crystal display device including a liquid crystal layer interposed between the first and second substrates is provided.

The color filter layer may be formed by repeatedly arranging red, green, and blue color filters. The second substrate inner surface may include a gate wiring and a data wiring formed to cross each other, and the gate wiring and a data wiring. And a thin film transistor formed at an intersection point, and a pixel electrode connected to the thin film transistor and formed in the pixel area, wherein a common electrode is formed on the inner surface of the second substrate to form a transverse electric field with the pixel electrode. It characterized in that it further comprises.

Each of the outer surfaces of the first and second substrates may further include first and second polarizers having polarization axes orthogonal to each other, and the phase difference compensation layer may be associated with a phase difference delay based on the x, y, and z axes. A plate and a negative C plate (-) C plate, characterized in that, between the color filter layer and the phase difference compensation layer, an alignment layer for the alignment of the phase difference compensation layer is further included. It is characterized by.

The retardation compensation layer is a positive seam ((+) C plate) in relation to the retardation delay with respect to the x, y, z axis, wherein the retardation compensation layer is in direct contact with the color filter layer. It features.

According to a second aspect of the present invention, an area corresponding to the pixel area is positioned on an edge portion of the first substrate and a boundary area between the pixel area on a first substrate having a plurality of pixel areas spaced apart from each other by a predetermined distance. Forming a black matrix having an open portion; Forming a color filter layer in the pixel region using the black matrix as an inter-color boundary; Coating a curable liquid crystal material on the entire upper surface of the color filter layer; Exposing the curable liquid crystal material on the back surface of the first substrate using the black matrix as a mask; Developing the exposed curable liquid crystal material to form a phase difference compensation layer in an area corresponding to the open portion of the black matrix; Forming a column spacer having a height corresponding to a cell gap between the first and second substrates in a spaced interval between the open portion of the black matrix and the phase difference pattern corresponding to the black matrix; Forming a seal pattern on an outer portion of the first substrate; Bonding the first and second substrates to each other using the seal pattern; It provides a method of manufacturing a liquid crystal display device comprising the step of interposing a liquid crystal layer between the first and second substrates.

The curable liquid crystal material may be selected from a negative type photosensitive material in which an exposed portion remains in a pattern. The phase difference between the forming of the color filter layer and the forming of the phase difference compensation layer may include: Forming an alignment layer for the compensation layer is characterized in that it further comprises.

Hereinafter, exemplary embodiments of the present invention will be described in detail with reference to the accompanying drawings.

FIG. 1 is a schematic cross-sectional view of a transverse electric field mode liquid crystal display according to an exemplary embodiment of the present invention. For convenience of description, the pixel area display and the black matrix are omitted.

As shown, the first and second substrates 110 and 130 are disposed to face each other, and the array element layer AL is formed on the inner surface of the first substrate 110. Although not shown in detail in the drawing, the array element layer AL includes a thin film transistor, a pixel electrode connected to the thin film transistor, and a common electrode forming a transverse electric field with the pixel electrode.

In addition, a color filter layer 132 is formed on an inner surface of the second substrate 130, and a region covering the color filter layer 132 serves as an overcoat layer for planarization of the color filter layer 132 and a phase difference compensation function. A phase difference compensation layer 134 is formed. The liquid crystal layer 150 is interposed between the first and second substrates 110 and 130, and the first and second electrodes have transmissive axes intersecting each other on the outer surfaces of the first and second substrates 110 and 130. The polarizing plates 160 and 162 are attached, and the seal patterns 170 are formed on the outer portions of the first and second substrates 110 and 130 to bond the first and second substrates 110 and 130. The column spacers 136 may have a height corresponding to the cell gaps of the first and second substrates 110 and 130, and a plurality of column spacers 136 may be formed on the display portions of the first and second substrates 110 and 130.

Here, the phase difference compensation layer 134 is made of a curable liquid crystal material that can compensate for the phase delay of the device. Since the curable liquid crystal material has a weak hardness and a poor adhesion to the substrate, the column spacer 136 is formed in the state where the phase difference compensation layer 134 is formed on the entire surface as shown in the above figure, and the phase difference compensation layer 134 is formed. When it is pressed, it appears as a pressed stain on the screen, and when formed in the seal pattern part, the contact force of the seal pattern 170 may be dropped due to weak contact force with the substrate, and thus seal burst may occur, so that the patterning of the phase difference compensation layer 134 is patterned. The process is necessary.

Hereinafter, a manufacturing process centering on the patterning process of the phase difference compensation layer 134 will be described in detail.

2A, 2B and 2C are cross-sectional views sequentially illustrating a manufacturing process of a color filter substrate according to an exemplary embodiment of the present invention.

In FIG. 2A, a substrate 230 having a pixel region P is provided, a black matrix 232 is formed at a boundary between the pixel regions P on the substrate 230, and the black matrix 232 is colored. In the structure in which the color filter layer 234 is formed in the pixel region P as a star boundary, forming the curable liquid crystal material layer 238 by coating the curable liquid crystal material on the entire surface in the region covering the color filter layer 234; And disposing a mask M formed of a transmissive part TA and a blocking part SA on the curable liquid crystal material layer 238 and through the transmissive part TA of the mask M. It is a step of exposing. For example, the exposing step may be performed by using an ultra violet lamp. In addition, the curable liquid crystal material is selected from a negative type photosensitive material in which an exposed part remains in a pattern and an unexposed part is removed, and an alignment is required in relation to a phase delay with respect to the x, y, and z axes. In the case of an A plate or a negative C plate, an alignment layer 236 may be further included between the color filter layer 234 and the curable liquid crystal material layer 238.

However, in the case of a C plate that is self-aligned, a separate alignment layer 236 may be omitted between the curable liquid crystal material layer 238 and the color filter layer 234. In addition, the alignment layer 236 may be entirely coated on the substrate without a separate patterning process.

The mask M includes a transmission part TA for transmitting light and a blocking part SA for blocking light, and the blocking part SA is an area to form a phase difference compensation layer 240 pattern. That is, it is characterized in that it is arranged to correspond to the pixel region (P) excluding the region and the substrate outer region corresponding to the black matrix 232, which is a region where the column spacer 242 and the seal pattern 244 is formed later.

After exposing the curable liquid crystal material layer 238 through the mask M, the curable liquid crystal material layer 238 exposed in correspondence with the transmissive part TA through a developing process is left in a pattern, and the blocking part SA ) And the curable liquid crystal material layer 238 is removed.

2B illustrates that the phase difference compensation layer 240 formed through the patterning process including the exposure process has an open portion 241 at a position corresponding to the black matrix 232, and is not formed at the outer portion II of the substrate. . The phase difference compensation layer 240 is formed to planarize the color filter layer 234 together with the function of compensating the phase difference delay of the liquid crystal cell. The phase difference compensation layer 240 is formed on the main region of the color filter layer 234, and the column spacer and Seal pattern forming portion is removed for the purpose of preventing the pressing stain and seal burst, respectively.

FIG. 2C illustrates forming a column spacer 242 in an open portion 241 between the phase difference compensation layers 240 and sealing patterns on an outer portion II of the substrate exposed by the phase difference compensation layer 240. 244 is formed.

As such, when the phase difference compensation layer 240 is formed on the inner surface of the substrate for the purpose of planarization and phase delay compensation of the color filter layer 234, the process may further reduce material costs, simplify the process, and eliminate the foreign material process. There is this.

However, since the phase difference compensation layer 240 is formed inside the substrate, an exposure process using a separate mask is essentially included to prevent crushing or seal rupture according to the characteristics of the material, thus adding a process and mask alignment. Improvements such as the addition of processing time to the system occur.

3A, 3B, and 3C are cross-sectional views illustrating a method of manufacturing a color filter substrate according to an embodiment of the present invention, in order of processing, and overlapping with those described in FIGS. 2A, 2B and 2C Omit the description.

In FIG. 3A, a substrate 330 in which a black matrix 332 formed in a non-pixel region of the substrate 330 and a color filter layer 334 positioned in the pixel region P with the black matrix 332 as a color-specific boundary are formed. Forming a curable liquid crystal material layer 338 by coating a curable liquid crystal material on the entire surface of the color filter layer 334, and incompatible with the black matrix 332 by a back exposure method on the substrate 330. Exposing the region of the curable liquid crystal material layer 338 at the predetermined position. That is, in the back exposure process, an area corresponding to the black matrix 332 becomes a non-exposure area NEA, and an area corresponding to the black matrix 332 becomes an exposure area EA.

Accordingly, the black matrix 332 is made of a light blocking material, and the curable liquid crystal material is made of a negative type photosensitive material in which an exposed portion remains in a pattern and an unexposed portion is removed.

When the curable liquid crystal material requires an alignment, an alignment layer 336 for the curable liquid crystal material layer is further included between the color filter layer 334 and the curable liquid crystal material layer 338 as shown in the drawing. In addition, the black matrix 332 is located up to an area covering the substrate outer portion so that the seal pattern is located on the black matrix 332 later. For example, an ultraviolet lamp may be used as a light source used in the exposure process.

In FIG. 3B, the curable liquid crystal material layer 338 at the position corresponding to the black matrix 332 is removed through the exposure process, and the curable liquid crystal material layer 338 is patterned only at the position corresponding to the pixel region P. Referring to FIG. To form the phase difference compensation layer 340. That is, only the region of the curable liquid crystal material layer 338 corresponding to the pixel region P exposed as the black matrix 332 serves as a mask is cured, and a solvent capable of melting the curable liquid crystal material layer 338. When developed using, the portion corresponding to the black matrix 332 of the curable liquid crystal material layer 338 is removed to form an open portion 341 and remains at other portions, and the removed portion is a column spacer in a later process. It is possible to secure a position where the 342 and the seal pattern 344 can be formed. Also, in this step, the curable liquid crystal material layer 338 covering the black matrix 332 positioned on the substrate outer portion III is also removed, so that the region of the black matrix 332 positioned on the substrate outer portion III is removed. Exposed.

As described above, since the black matrix 332 formed on the same substrate as the curable liquid crystal material layer 338 is used as an exposure mask for patterning the curable liquid crystal material layer 338, a separate mask is disposed and exposed. Compared to the process, the alignment accuracy is not only increased, but a separate exposure mask can be omitted, thereby simplifying the process.

In FIG. 3C, a column spacer 342 is formed in an open portion 341 between the phase difference compensation layers 340, and a seal pattern is formed on an area of the black matrix 332 exposed to the substrate outer portion III. 344 is formed. In this case, the column spacer 342 is formed on the alignment layer 336 when the alignment layer 336 for the phase difference compensation layer is formed, and the color filter layer 334 when the alignment layer 336 for the phase difference compensation layer is omitted. Is formed on the phase.

Since the phase difference compensation layer 340 is patterned by using the black matrix 332 as a mask, alignment accuracy with respect to the formation position of the column spacer 342 is also increased by increasing the pattern position accuracy than using a separate mask. It may have an advantage.

However, the present invention is not limited to the above embodiments, and various modifications can be made without departing from the spirit of the present invention.

For example, the retardation compensating layer according to the present invention can be applied not only to a transverse electric field mode liquid crystal display but also to a general twisted nematic mode liquid crystal display.

As described above, according to the liquid crystal display device including the phase difference compensation layer and the method of manufacturing the same, as the phase difference compensation layer is formed in the substrate, the process efficiency can be increased and the process cost can be reduced. In patterning the retardation compensation layer to prevent the retardation, a black matrix formed on the color filter substrate without a separate mask is used as the exposure mask of the retardation compensation layer, which simplifies the process and shortens the process time by performing the back exposure. You can increase the accuracy.

Claims (12)

First and second substrates disposed to face each other and having a plurality of pixel regions spaced apart from each other by a predetermined distance; A black matrix on an inner surface of the first substrate and positioned at a boundary between an outer portion of the first substrate and the pixel region, the black matrix having an open portion corresponding to the pixel region; A color filter layer formed in the pixel region using the black matrix as an inter-color boundary; A phase difference compensation layer formed at a position corresponding to the open portion on the color filter layer and having a same thickness and formed of a curable liquid crystal material; A column spacer having a height corresponding to a cell gap between the first and second substrates in a separation region between the black matrix and the phase difference compensation layer; A seal pattern formed between the first and second substrates in the outer portion; Liquid crystal layer interposed between the first and second substrates Liquid crystal display comprising a. The method of claim 1, The color filter layer is a liquid crystal display, characterized in that the red, green, blue color filters are arranged in sequence. The method of claim 1, On the inner surface of the second substrate, a gate wiring and a data wiring formed to cross each other, a thin film transistor formed at a point where the gate wiring and a data wiring intersect, and a pixel electrode connected to the thin film transistor and formed in the pixel region. Liquid crystal display comprising a. The method of claim 3, wherein And a common electrode on the inner surface of the second substrate, the common electrode forming a transverse electric field with the pixel electrode. The method of claim 1, Each of the outer surfaces of the first and second substrates further includes first and second polarizing plates each having a polarization axis orthogonal to each other. The method of claim 1, And the phase difference compensation layer is any one of an A plate and a negative C plate in relation to a phase difference delay based on the x, y, and z axes. The method of claim 6, And an alignment layer for aligning the phase difference compensation layer between the color filter layer and the phase difference compensation layer. The method of claim 1, And the phase difference compensation layer is a positive sea plate ((+) C plate) with respect to the phase difference delay based on the x, y, and z axes. 9. The method of claim 8, And the phase difference compensation layer is in direct contact with the color filter layer. On the first substrate having a plurality of pixel regions spaced apart from each other, a black matrix having an open portion in the periphery of the first substrate and the boundary area between the pixel regions, the area corresponding to the pixel region as an open portion; Steps; Forming a color filter layer in the pixel region using the black matrix as an inter-color boundary; Coating a curable liquid crystal material on the entire upper surface of the color filter layer; Exposing the curable liquid crystal material on the back surface of the first substrate using the black matrix as a mask; Developing the exposed curable liquid crystal material to form a phase difference compensation layer in an area corresponding to the open portion of the black matrix; Forming a column spacer having a height corresponding to a cell gap between the first and second substrates in a spaced area between the phase difference compensation layer formed corresponding to the open portion of the black matrix; Forming a seal pattern on an outer portion of the first substrate; Bonding the first and second substrates to each other using the seal pattern; Interposing a liquid crystal layer between the first and second substrates Method of manufacturing a liquid crystal display device comprising a. 11. The method of claim 10, And the curable liquid crystal material is selected from a negative type photosensitive material in which exposed portions remain in a pattern. 11. The method of claim 10, And forming the alignment layer for the phase difference compensation layer between the forming of the color filter layer and the forming of the phase difference compensation layer.

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